Sure, you might have splashed a few thousand dollars, maybe even five-figures, on a luxury vacation. But spending a million dollars on a getaway? That’s something seemingly reserved for royalty or Jeff Bezos. Or is it? One luxury travel planning company, Classic Escapes, recently booked a seven-figure getaway for a family. And you’re probably wondering what that exactly entails. We found out.
Classic Escapes, which specializes in luxury getaways to Africa with a focus on ecotourism and conservation, designed and operated a dream safari for a family ranging in age from three to 70 to celebrate the grandfather’s 70th birthday. The trip was originally supposed to be three weeks but ended up being 27 days, including air travel time, in the most beautiful parts of Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana. The same guide, a top specialist who’s an African native, accompanied the family through all three nations.
“It was important to the family that the trip be more than simply observing wildlife on safari,” Classic Escapes President, Stacy Fiorentinos, told Departures. “They wanted to meet locals, experience the culture, and really learn something. They visited a township in Cape Town, traveled by plane to a Himba village in Namibia, and were enthralled by the people they met and expert care they received throughout this amazing journey.”
Of course, along the way, they stayed at some of the most coveted hotels, lodges and camps in Africa, including the Cape Grace in Cape Town, Royal Malewane and Singita in the Timbavati/Sabi Sands region in South Africa, Little Kulala in Sossusvlei, Mushara in Etosha, and Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp in Namibia, and finished off with Chitabe and Seba in Botswana. “Ideally we looked for lodges/camps where the family could have exclusive access to during their stay,” said Fiorentinos. “At some locations that wasn’t possible, So, instead, we ensured they had a central hub and privacy to congregate as a group at each destination.”
Though the family brought their own nanny, the company also arranged for nannies on-site at the various lodges to watch after the little ones and provide them with age-appropriate activities, freeing the adults to experience the bush without worries. The family spent several days on game drives where they looked for “The Big Five” in between relaxing in plush suites with private plunge pools, and secluded wildlife-viewing decks. And meals ranged from gourmet dinners under the stars to picnics in the middle of red dune-filled Sossusvlei.
“This was the trip of a lifetime, a memory to hold dear for every member of this very large family,” said Fiorentinos. “When they got back, they were so enchanted by the experience, that instead of remembering this single journey forever, they’ve decided to take a similar trip together in five years!"
